A Girl with a Watering Can, Robert A Sieczkiewicz

Frail gentleman with cane in hand just passed
The folly le Temple de L’amour, paused.
Lack of memory has fear in him caused.
Le Petit Trianon will off’r contrast.
Like he, former tenant felt as outcast.
Feels his condition cannot be uncaused,
As if lowly bug, brain is diapaused.
A little girl with watering can asked.

This happy place what brings you to be sad?
Cup your hands, water I may to you give,
That your face can be changed to one of glad.
Look ’round see the beauty amongst you live.
True you may never be a Galahad,
Yet burning heart is yours with love to give.

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Being a fan of Renoir is one reason I chose this painting to write an art/ poem. But there may be others. I think of my granddaughters often and this picture brings them to the forefront. Maybe the little girl in the painting who has been with me long before I had granddaughters could be a symbol of the daughter I never had. Not sure why, so on to the poem. The little girl I transported from Monet’s famous garden at Argenteuil where Renoir was visiting to Versailles. Versailles offered symbolism that I needed. The young lady in the painting is Mademoiselle Leclere.

I immediately challenge the reader in the second line with folly and temple of love. Will not spoon feed you if the light does not go off Google is always helpful. Some time ago Le Petit Trianon was the private residence of Marie Antoinette. Again there is a challenge to the thinking reader. But you need to know something about Marie Antoinette. She did not like the pressures of Court and spent most of her time at her private residence. Eventually she did give it up, along with her head. Not that is quite a contrast between the man who has lost some of this memory and Marie who lost it all with one clean cut. But the old man also feels useless like a bug because his mind isn’t like it used to be.

Then he comes across a little girl with a watering can. Having been to Versailles, she will never be able to water all the plants with that watering can. So when you think about the poem it is a point to remember. So she gives him some water to wash his face and gives him the facts of life.

Now the test:

Was the little girl real, or an illusion and did the old man wake up and get out of the self-pity mode?

Was the little girl an angel and the water was a symbol of rebirth, is he being baptized?

The little girl was real and smart like my granddaughters and knew that if the man cooled his head he could think better?

Alone Together With You
Have thee for a moment take me caressed.
Time in solitude without any despair,
So gently nestled at thy downy breast,
Feeling a love complete without compare.
Love is limitless when measured by time,
Shall last longer than the stone on thee sit,
But not mortal bodies as thine and mine.
Before end of day both could be quiet,
So waste not love’s moments of cherished joy.
Stay with me Oh please with time that thy may.
Hold my head hold my body we alloy,
That today thus richer than yesterday.
Thee is music offering mind surprise,
The longer thee stay with me is reprise.

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Let me start with a question. Can you really, by definition be alone with someone? I say yes and let me tell you why. Love that is so strong between two people makes them one. Love creates a symbiotic relationship. When there is a strong love in one direction there is a distinct possibility weakness of the one in love. Oh! he or she is love sick. We have heard the term. Now let’s take the case where one of the two lovers is ill. This can make the strong lover ill. Not a good situation.

In the poem we have an ill lover asking a healthy lover to stay with him. He knows that he will be siphoning health from this lover when with the word alloy. The mixing together. Is he being rational or selfish to say we could die tomorrow but our love will live on? The final couplet uses a music analogy. Music clears his mind it makes him feel good. Repeat it, meaning stay longer and he will continue to feel good even though seeing him weakens her own mind.

Our decision made, it is very strong.
The date is marked so we will not forget.
Three months we will have to wait, shant be long.
They are the best, choice we will not regret.
Days go by, some are good and some I cry.
There are days where I barely leave my chair.
With pain so fierce dare not open an eye.
And who cares if I do not comb my hair.
The day is here and I am so afraid.
Fear the very worse, as I have no clue.
A man in a white coat comes to my aid.
Looks me in the eye, nothing he can do.
With uncombed hair here I sit in my chair,
Life will go on, should I bother to care.

Two chairs for years face the morning sunrise,
Yours to the right side and mind to the left.
Been that way since we made our paradise.
Right chair now empty my soul is bereft.
Since you parted last I have seen you not,
Eyes closed mind a tuned, swear I hear your voice.
Catch sound by shepherd crook put in to spot
with wind chime to it so I may rejoice.
Sit and wait for each little tingle sound,
Stirs my heart of memories in years passed,
And smiles on my face forever abound.
Never questioned how long love has lasted.
Soon chair on the left will be empty too,
But the wind chime will sing my love for you.

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Today’s painting was created by Wendy Webster Good from Kennebunkport, Maine. Don’t think we need any explanation on this poem for it is a simple love poem about two lovers who have spent many happy years together but as nature would have it one has to go first. But the love is still out there in the wind which can be heard in a simple wind chime.

Love of a Mariner, Robert A. Sieczkiewicz
There is nothing better than have you near,
Talk of nothing just listen to the wind,
Play beautiful love songs in to our ears,
No other sounds be allowed to prescind.
This is my choice yet ’tis not always true.
Your eyes are clear but focus they are not.
Born green and at times I look they are blue.
It grieves me to see you tight as a knot.
Today a good wind is filling the sail,
The yeomen at stern reels in the anchor.
If the song be silent do not bewail,
Should you flee from me will be no rancor.
For to love is a feeling to be free,
To shackle you at my will can’t be.

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This is another John William Waterhouse painting. I have no idea what possessed him to paint two versions of Miranda. The first done in 1875 was titled just that Miranda. However, in 1916 he titled it Miranda – The Tempest. Taking a subject and doing more than one painting was not uncommon for Waterhouse. In the 1875 version shown above is so serene a place where lover might go just to listen to the wind and the wave make music while they embraced each other. But if your lover is a mariner, the wind and the tide can ruin a courtship.

Oh Psyche is this love that so ails me?
So difficult for love is a feeling.
First I must study outward signs showing.
At times you appear to be so happy,
While others so sad I want not to see,
‘Twas today so afraid was alarming,
Within hour was surprised so disarming,
Your behavior shows no consistency.

What I observed is human emotions.
Not visible to me is your feeling.
Love can cause this visible commotions.
What you must understand is your longing.
Love creates for each, unique conditions.
It is Love with feeling of belonging.

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Here I return to a painting by John William Waterhouse entitled Psyche Opening the Golden Box, done in 1903. Originally I was going to use Pandora, because of the story content; however, the love story between Psyche and Cupid offered me an opportunity to give a partial view of my thoughts and understanding of the most complex human feeling – love. I am not the speaker. It may be Psyche trying to answer her own question. It must be remembered that Psyche was human, subject to its frailties. But the speaker is not relevant to the point of this poem. I use the Petrarchan sonnet here to show the six basic human emotions of happy, sad, afraid, surprised, angry and disgusted, which was not included because some studies link it with angry. I did come across one study that combined afraid and surprised. Whether you look at 4 or 6 we are looking at overt facial expressions. What we cannot see are people’s feelings. What we say to them, even how we say it can hurt both of the receiver and the sender. It may not invoke emotion from the receiver but may have a deep everlasting feeling. Case in point. I once called my grandmother who I love dearly a Witch. That was over 60 years ago and I still feel the pain in my heart. She showed no emotions. But I know she was deeply hurt.
Even when you have a deep everlasting feeling of love for someone that loved one can bring out all of the human emotions I have listed about. That does not mean that it will weaken that love. Emotions in my thinking are temporary. How long does happy last when you buy a new pair of shoes.
Love creates unique situations, not all love pairings are the same, so there cannot be any general theory on love. But for sure there is one characteristic shared by those who are in love. They find a place in their heart for that special person. A special warning: Love can cause scar tissue in your heart.
Please note and you can check my past writing. I will never use the phrase “true love.” Can I be in the state of “false love?” Or maybe I am in a state of “unlove.” You are either in love or not in love. Love is like a candle it is lit or not. Nor will we confuse infatuation with love.